Apple has released a new 7th generation, 10.2in iPad. The new $329/£349 iPad has a new-look thanks to a bigger screen – although we aren’t getting reduced bezels and the Home button remains, at least for now.
That price is now higher than it was in the UK. Previously the entry-level iPad cost £319.
That mean the iPad is now larger, previously it was 240mm by 169.5mm (9.4in by 6.6in) with a 9.7in screen. Now it is 250.6mm by 174.1mm (9.8in by 6.8in). We had hoped that by reducing the bezels Apple would be able to add a larger screen without adding bulk, but apparently not.
The new iPad has been rumoured for some time. Even TF Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo (who’s usually spot on) predicted back in February 2019: “Existing panel size of 9.7in iPad upgraded to 10.2”. He was referring to the March 2019 event at which the new iPad mini launched and the iPad Air returned, leading some to assume that the iPad Air would be replacing the iPad. But that was not the case.
In this article we will run through all the new features and specifications of the new 10.2 iPad, including design changes and the price, and how to buy, read on to find out more.
If you’re more interested in the current range, read our iPad buying guide and our roundup of the best iPad deals. And here’s how the 9.7in and 10.2in iPads compare.
Release date
It’s more than a year and a half since the 2018 iPad was launched back in March 2018, but we don’t have long to wait until the new iPad will arrive. Pre-orders for the new iPad start at 1pm (UK time) on Friday 13 September, and it will go on sale on 25 September 2019.
Price
The iPad was the cheapest iPad model you can buy and that is still the case despite the update. However, if you are based in the UK it is now more expensive than it was.
Prices start at $329 or £349 in the UK. Apple said that education customers will be able to get it for $299 (UK education price TBC). The Wi-Fi + Cellular mode starts at £479 in the UK.
Previously the iPad prices in the UK were as follows:
£319 (32GB), £409 (128GB), £449 (32GB, LTE), £539 (128GB, LTE).
Here’s how the prices compare to the rest of the iPad range:
- 12.9in iPad Pro, from £969, buy here
- 11in iPad Pro, from £769, buy here
- 10.5in iPad Air, from £479, buy here
- 7.9in iPad mini, from £399, buy here
- 9.7in iPad, was £319…
Design
The new iPad comes in the standard Silver, Gold and Space Grey.
As well as being a fraction bigger, the new iPad is also heavier, it used to weigh 469 grams (1.03 pounds) but now weighs more, 483g (1.07lb).
The new iPad is no thicker than the previous model at 7.5mm (0.29in).
Screen
The biggest negative about the iPad has always been the fact that it has an un-laminated screen, with the other iPads having superior laminated screens. The un-laminated display has a small gap between the screen glass and the display elements underneath, and when you press down on it there is a tiny but noticeable ‘flex’ – it bends inwards fractionally. This allows Apple to keep the price of this iPad down.
Unfortunately this doesn’t appear to have changed this time around.
Other features from the Air that we hoped would roll out in the standard iPad was True Tone; an anti-reflective coating, but Apple made no mention of this feature.
The 9.7in display was 2048 x 1536 at 264ppi – the new display offers 2160 x 1620 at 264 pixels per inch – a total of 3.5 million pixels, according to Apple.
Changes to the camera
The 2018 iPad had a poor camera in comparison to the other iPads. Unfortunately this hasn’t changed, the new iPad still has an 8mp camera (2.4 aperture) on the back and a 1.2mp (2.2 aperture) camera on the front for FaceTime and selfies. That looks rather poor compared to the 7Mp (and 1080p) front facing camera offerings on the iPad Air and Pro models.
This is likely to be a disappointment, especially as there had been rumours that the new 10.2in iPad could get a twin-lens camera.
Tech specs
A big surprise is the fact that the new iPad doesn’t have a faster processor. Previously it had an A10 Fusion chip and that chip remains. We had expected to see at least an A12 processor, the same as the iPad Air and iPad mini, so this is a surprise and a disappointment.
The storage options available haven’t changed either, with 32GB/128GB capacity options still on offer – we had thought that Apple might get rid of the paltry 32GB option.
About the only technical change is the addition of the Smart Keyboard connector. That keyboard will cost you £159. Or you could just use any Bluetooth keyboard.
Software
With the arrival of iPadOS and macOS Catalina the iPad will also be able to be used as a second screen for a Mac, or like you would a graphics tablet. This new feature of Catalina is likely to widen the appeal of the iPad even more.
Read our iPadOS explainer for more details about the iPad software.
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.